Visakhapatnam is getting ready to host a major international event – the International Fleet Review 2016 – in the first week of February. Earlier this month, the city hosted the Partnership Summit of the CII and the two events have given the image of the city a great fillip.

The IFR 2016 will be held here from February 4 to Feb 8  and more than 90 ships, 24 of them foreign, will participate in the event. It is intended to showcase the prowess and capabilities of the Indian Navy. President Pranab Mukherjee will review the fleet on February 6. INS Sumitra, an indigenously built naval offshore vessel, will be the presidential yacht.

On Feb 4, the Maritime Exhibition and IFR village will be inaugurated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. A function will be held for the visiting chiefs of naval staffs from different countries and for other officials. On Feb 5, the AP Governor Narasimhan will participate in the opening ceremony. Cultural shows and performances will be held throughout the day in the city.

On Feb. 6 the main event – the review and the presidential banquet – will be conducted. On Feb. 7, there will be an international maritime conference in which Union Defence Minister Parrikar will participate. There will also be an operational demonstration and international city parade on the day in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate.

During the final stages of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines will steam past the presidential yacht. Several enthralling water front activities by sail boats, water skiing, a display by marine commandos and helicopter demonstrations will form part of the review.     

On Feb. 8, the international maritime conference will conclude and there will also be a closing ceremony in which the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R.K Dhowan, will participate.

Security has been tightened in the city in view of the IFR and it is only second time the IFR is being conducted in the country – the first IFR being conducted off Mumbai coast in February 2001. The dolphin has been chosen as the mascot for the IFR depicting friendship across oceans and the theme is “United by oceans.”